From UNSW student prototype to global decarbonisation leader, Hullbot takes the top honour at the internationally recognised Australian Good Design Awards.
UNSW Founders company Hullbot, which designs, develops and manufactures autonomous, Australian robotics for ship hull maintenance, has won the prestigious Australian Good Design Award of the Year, the highest possible accolade at the internationally recognised awards.
The Sydney-based company also secured a Gold Award and a Best in Class Award for Commercial & Industrial Product Design.
Competing against thousands of entrants from across the globe, Hullbot was selected as the overall winner, surpassing major global brands, including heavyweights like Hyundai and Tesla. The Award of the Year is a testament to Hullbot's commitment to superior industrial design, using cutting-edge robotics to solve biofouling, which is one of the maritime industry's biggest challenges. The technology, which is used globally, reduces vessel fuel consumption by up to 26% and significantly cuts carbon emissions.
The company was founded by UNSW Industrial Design alumnus Tom Loefler, who first developed the concept as his major project within the School of Built Environment's Industrial Design program. Hullbot later took part in the UNSW Founders D10X program in 2023, which supports early-stage ventures to scale globally.
"This award is the culmination of a decade of relentless effort, passion and belief in the power of design to solve grand global challenges," said Tom Loefler, CEO and Co-Founder of Hullbot.
"To be recognised as the top design product in the country is an incredible honour, especially when competing against giants. This win belongs to our entire team, the dedicated staff currently with us, and the UNSW alumni who helped build this foundation and have since followed other avenues."
David Burt, UNSW's Director of Entrepreneurship, said the achievement highlights the University's successful pipeline from world-class Australian design education to global commercial impact.
"At UNSW, we support ambitious founders who are building local breakthroughs into extraordinary companies, and Hullbot represents the best of what Australian startups can achieve when they have the right support," he said.
"By combining cutting-edge robotics with a bold mission to decarbonise shipping, Hullbot's product creates both economic prosperity for Australia as well as protecting our global marine ecosystems."
Hullbot was one of several UNSW-affiliated projects recognised at the 2025 Australian Good Design Awards.
Benchmark for NSW won the Design Research Award , developed in partnership with UNSW, MIT and Transport for NSW. The design initiative integrates smart street furniture and civic data to enhance perceptions of safety in public spaces.
UNSW student Maoxin Yuan was awarded the Next Gen Award for the Sooze Modular Eye Care Device. The device is designed for patients with keratoconus and provides flexible vision support and eye comfort when patients remove their rigid contact lenses.
Both Modular Eye Care Device and Benchmark for NSW are part of UNSW's Industrial Design program.
Meanwhile, StandingTall: Live Actively, Age Healthier, designed by the Miroma Project Factory in partnership with UNSW and NeuRA, won the Social Impact Award. Their tablet app provides balance exercises to older Australians and has been proven to reduce falls by 16%.
Professor Steve Rodda, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Industry & Innovation) at UNSW, said the success demonstrated the strength of UNSW's approach to nurturing design-led innovation.
"This recognition showcases how world-class design education and entrepreneurial support can combine to deliver global impact," he said.
"Tom and the Hullbot team are a fantastic example of how UNSW graduates are driving real-world sustainability solutions, and it's equally exciting to see other UNSW design projects also recognised at this year's Good Design Awards, highlighting the depth of talent across our community."
